Percy Jackson AU: Breathe
by bellamyvevo
Summary: They've been best friends since forever. Annabeth Chase can't remember when she didn't know him.


a/n: this is an AU. it means that it's NOT in the pjo world. there's no greek gods or camp half blood. this is percabeth in the real world. i'm not very pleased with the writing, but i hope u still enjoy this. it's almost 5000 words long. there's also probably too man grammar errors and i apologise for that.

synopsis: They've been best friends since forever. Annabeth Chase can't remember when they didn't know each other.

age5:

Annabeth Chase said goodbye to her father as she was dropped off for her first day of school. Even at the age of five, Annabeth Chase felt independent. She waved goodbye as Fredrick Chase's car drove away from the entrance.

Two people caught her attention. A short boy with black messy hair and striking green eyes. He was stuck closely to his mother. She had long wavy brown hair and the only word that came to Annabeth's mind when she saw the lady was _nice._

Apparently, she saw the boy everywhere. He was in her class after all. They didn't talk much, and Annabeth could tell he was pretty shy around everyone.

She found out his name was Percy on the second week of school. Annabeth had been playing near the sandpit with her new best friend, Piper Mclean.

"Can I play with you guys too?" He had asked so politely.

Cooties were common, but Annabeth knew that _cooties_ weren't going to stop her befriending Percy Jackson.

Apparently, Sally Jackson came pretty late that day. And so did Fredrick Chase - well Fredrick always came late.

Annabeth and Percy were the last to leave kindergarten that day. It was a norm for Annabeth, but not for Percy. They talked a bit, and Percy didn't seem worried about getting cooties either. On that day, Annabeth Chase decided that Percy Jackson wasn't really _shy_ anymore.

Fredrick and Sally came around the same time. Sally came in running towards Percy, carrying him and apologising for being so late.

"It's okay mum, Annabeth was here to keep me company," he smiled a toothy grin.

Sally turned towards Annabeth and said hello to her. They conversed a bit, mainly Sally asking Annabeth if she wanted a ride home.

Just then, Fredrick Chase came in. She didn't run and hug her dad like what happened with Percy. Annabeth just stood up and said goodbye to Sally and Percy before leaving with her dad. Fredrick Chase said a few words with Sally Jackson before bringing his daughter back home.

age6

Percy and Annabeth still remain good friends. In fact, Sally Jackson offers to send Annabeth home everyday. Fredrick Chase allows that as his work makes it hard for him to leave just to send Annabeth home to an empty home.

Sally Jackson realises this, and decides that Annabeth is too young to be left at home. So, everyday after school, Annabeth goes to the Jackson's household and they spend the afternoon and most of the evening there.

Sally Jackson also decides to work from home instead of hopping from store to store. This way, she takes care of both Percy and Annabeth.

Percy and Annabeth are often teased in class for spending so much time together. But it doesn't matter to them, they don't think cooties exist anyways.

age 7

Annabeth Chase starts school in a newer and bigger school. It's a good thing she's still friends with Percy. In fact, they go to the same school, Goode High. Annabeth soon finds out that she's actually really good at school. She enjoys every bit of it.

Percy, however, isn't feeling the joy of school as much. He's dyslexic, apparently, and so is Annabeth. The only difference is that Annabeth is doing well. He hates school more because the guys in his class tease him so much about Annabeth. They say he's going to catch cooties, but after two years with Annabeth, he thinks that if he caught them, he would be okay with that.

They still spend a lot of time together in Percy's house. Sally Jackson treats Annabeth as her daughter, and Annabeth is glad. Her mum left her when she was a baby, and her dad isn't even home most of the time. Sally Jackson is her substitute mum, and she loves it.

age 8

"I think you're finally old enough to learn the secret recipe," Sally tells Annabeth and Percy one day.

They both exchange grins, smiling widely. They love blue cookies, and Sally Jackson had finally decided to teach them the secret to it.

The kitchen doesn't end up in a disaster, thankfully.

Percy and Annabeth still enjoy each other's company. Even after the many teasing they get from their friends.

Piper Mclean is still Annabeth's best girl friend, and all is well to Annabeth. She even topped her class that year.

age 9

This is when things get hard for her. Her father springs up a surprise marriage proposal to his girlfriend. She's bittersweet about this. Annabeth wants her real mother, not another one. But she doesn't even know a clue about her real mother. She settles for his girlfriend, she seems okay anyways.

Not only does this surprise marriage make Annabeth upset, Percy Jackson decides it's time to get a life in school. He joins the swim team - and that means less Percy and Annabeth time. They only have Monday and Friday's free. His swimming practices are on Tuesday and Thursday, and Annabeth's chess club meets on Wednesday.

She thinks her friendship between herself and Percy is drifting. They're not together in every class, and even when they are, Annabeth chooses to sit next to Piper while Percy chooses Jason.

age 10

Annabeth definitely thinks that she's drifting from Percy. They only meet up on Friday's now. Apparently, Percy's a really good swimmer. She knows that too. She sees him during competitions anyways. She's happy for him, but sad about their friendship.

They're barely in any classes too. She's put into the advanced classes, and Annabeth desperately hopes they're in the same class. They are for one though, Greek mythology. Apparently, both of them have a knack for that subject. It's the only class they have together, so they take the opportunity and sit next to each other during that class.

Piper Mclean isn't in that class, and neither is Jason Grace. She's actually quite happy about that because it means that they'll have their alone time.

age 11

Annabeth doesn't know why, but when she's 11, everything seems to fall apart. Her stepmother is pregnant with two boys. And this means that her stepmother won't be working much anymore – which leads to less Percy time. She goes back to her boring home instead of the Jackson's household. She doesn't go to Percy's house anymore. She comes back home to take care of her stepbrothers, Bobby and Matthew. She doesn't like them, she concludes.

It's not helping that Percy and her aren't in any of the same class, except for Greek mythology. There's also a new boy in that class – Grover Underwood. Apparently, Grover and Percy are in the same homeroom together, and the teacher assigns Percy to sit next to Grover.

She's bummed that she's losing her best friend. She's really glad one day though. Percy brings her blue cookies from Sally Jackson. He said his mum misses her, and so does he. She blushes and thanks Percy for the cookies. They decide that if they can't meet up much, they should sit together for lunch. And that's what they do.

She thinks the break times help their friendship. They're definitely not awkward around each other and they constantly tease the hell out of each other.

Annabeth decides to spend her Thursday afternoons at the bleachers, watching Percy swim. She does her work while he practices. And after practice, they take the bus home together. Sally thinks Percy is old enough, and makes him take the bus home. They live near each other, thankfully. In fact, they drop off at the same bus stop. From the bus stop, however, they split routes and walk home on their own.

They decide at the age of eleven that their friendship is worth keeping and sacrificing time for. Percy waits behind every Wednesday for Annabeth to finish Chess, and Annabeth waits for Percy's swim practices. They take the bus home everyday. The thirty minute bus ride home allows them to catch up on their lives, and Annabeth loves it.

Her stepmother doesn't though, but Annabeth just lies and says she has other activities on in school, thus her reason for staying back. Her stepmother believes, and Annabeth is still best friends with Percy, and she thinks everything is fine.

age 12

Annabeth thinks that everything is weird. She's changing. Percy's changing. Her friends are changing. And Annabeth Chase doesn't like change, but she accepts it.

Annabeth soon discovers she's good in cheerleading, and the cheerleading team wants her. She accepts, and this leaves her busy on Wednesday and Friday.

She still only has one class that she shares with Percy. They still don't sit next to each other, but they take the bus home together and eat lunch together.

But lunch time is a hard topic now. Annabeth is asked to sit with the cheerleaders – which includes her best friend, Piper. Annabeth, however, prefers sitting with Percy. She tries to do both. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, she sits with Percy. On Tuesday and Thursday she sits with the cheerleaders. She thinks this arrangement is fine, but it really isn't.

The only thing they do share are the bus rides home. But apparently, their new friends Hazel and Frank, live near them too. This means that the four of them ride home together. Annabeth isn't keen about the idea, but she accepts it. Anyways, during the two days Annabeth abandons Percy for recess, he's often seen with the two of them.

age 13

Annabeth is thirteen, and all she can think is that the new guy Luke, looks hot. She tries to get close to him, and it's pretty easy since he shares most of the classes with Annabeth. She's still topping her class.

Percy knows Annabeth likes Luke. He can totally see it. But Percy, despite training so hard swimming, is short and scrawny compared to Annabeth. Her year in cheer has made her taller, tanner, leaner and muscular. Percy feels nothing beside Luke. But he's her best friend, he knows one day Annabeth will date other guys.

They don't spend much time together, in fact. Percy continues to wait for Annabeth to ride the bus home after her cheer practice. She's grateful for that, and she sends him a thankful smile as they talk on the bus ride home. But when it's her turn to wait for him, it doesn't happen all the time. She forgot, she told him.

He tries his best to accept her apology. He knows she left with Luke. And did Percy not mention that Luke is on the football team? Well, he is. Annabeth cheers for his games too.

Percy feels hurt that this is how their friendship is going to end, but he smiles through it. He doesn't want to lose Annabeth as a friend at all.

age 14

He's slightly shorter than her, but he's catching up, he feels. Percy thinks Annabeth has gotten a lot prettier. She keeps her hair longer now, and her beautiful blonde curls reminds him of a princess.

Percy's given sympathetic looks when she abandons him during lunch. She sits with the cheerleaders everyday now. Doesn't she see them during training? Why sit with them during breaks too!

The worst part of it is that the cheerleaders and the footballers sit together. They're the popular gang, and Percy sees that too. Jason Grace is on the football team, but he refuses the offer and sits next to Percy with Frank and Hazel everyday. He thanks Jason silently for that.

It doesn't make it better that the only reason their friendship is still there is because of Percy. Percy tries to keep the friendship together so badly. He waits for her after her practices, but she leaves him after his. It hurts that she doesn't even inform him.

They each get the responsibility of getting a phone too. His first number is Sally, and the second is Annabeth. Annabeth however, has added almost half of the school, before she finally adds his number. He's okay with that though.

There's only one day he wishes that he was blind. He waits in the canteen patiently, trying his best at trigonometry. It's 5pm, and Annabeth should be done with cheer. He shuts his book and swings his backpack before heading to meet Annabeth at the field.

On his way, he sees her in the halls. She doesn't see him though, he thinks. She's laughing with Luke, and they're holding hands. He cringes at the sight, but reminds himself that they're just friends after all. Percy realises that he has lost Annabeth. She takes the bus home with Luke on that day, and Percy waits for the next bus before going home on his own.

He thinks to himself on the bus ride home, and realises that the friendship is one-sided. He knows he can't do much about it, but he hopes for the best. And Percy tells himself that everything is fine.

age 15

Percy and Annabeth are finally fifteen, and Percy is officially taller than Annabeth now. He improves in some of his subjects with lots of tutoring from his new friend, Rachel Elizabeth Dare. She has stunning red hair, and she's quite pretty.

He's happy with his new friend, in fact. She's a new student, and she does well in school. She tutors him everyday, and Percy's proud to say that he now shares 4 subjects in common with Annabeth.

Annabeth is taken aback by the fact that Percy's doing pretty well in school. In fact, she confirmed her relationship with Luke two months ago. And two months ago was when Annabeth and Percy stopped talking to each other. Annabeth didn't want Luke to be jealous of her having a guy as her best friend. Piper told her that this wasn't the way to go, but Annabeth believed firmly that she really did like Luke.

She's happy for Percy, though. He's grown up quite a lot. He's not the scrawny boy he was a few years ago. He's actually pretty hot now, and getting popular with the girls in school. He doesn't know that they're shamelessly flirting with him though.

Sally Jackson is shocked when Percy brings Rachel home. She doesn't know about Percy and Annabeth's lack of friendship, and she's definitely surprised when Rachel came in. She decides she still prefers Annabeth.

By the end of the year, however, Percy and Rachel are officially a thing.

age 16

Annabeth Chase is heart broken. After a long practice, she just wishes to go back to Luke's place and eat his mother's lasagna. Her dreams are crushed as she sees Luke pressing a girl against the wall, and he's making out with her. She screams his name, and tears roll down her face. He looks up, and she says it's over before dashing out of school.

Percy sees the commotion. He was actually with Rachel, walking towards the bus stop. He sees Annabeth sitting down on the bench waiting for the bus. Rachel pulls him back saying it'll be awkard if they sit there happily when she just caught her boyfriend cheating on her.

Percy says it's okay as he goes forward to Annabeth. Annabeth Chase looks up at her ex-best friend, and her eyes are filled with regret. Regret for not trying to keep the friendship at all. She thought Luke was the perfect guy, but she was wrong.

She sees Rachel staring at Percy and Annabeth having a silent eye conversation. Percy pulls Annabeth into a hug, and Annabeth sobs more. Rachel's bus comes, and normally Percy would offer to take the bus with her halfway till he changes to another one to go home. This time though, Percy tells Rachel that he'd stay with Annabeth.

They take the bus home. And that thirty minutes is precious to Annabeth. She decides that it's time to reconcile that friendship. That day, she goes over to Percy's house. She's shocked to see that a guy opened the door for them. He introduces himself as Paul Blofis, apparently Sally Jackson remarried.

"Yeah, I didn't want to say anything since we weren't really talking anymore," Percy explains.

"I understand. Look, Percy. Can we forget about that not-talking-for-a-year-thing? Can we put it in the past?"

She's surprised. He agrees, and they become best friends again. Her old habits change. She's sitting with Percy, Rachel, Hazel, Frank, Jason, Piper and Leo. Leo came in the same time as Rachel, and he was a friend of Jason. Piper decides to join them instead of the cheerleaders as she got together with Jason a few months back.

She thinks her group of friends are really cool, and she likes school. She avoids Luke as much as possible too.

age 17

Annabeth decides that she finds Rachel Elizabeth Dare annoying. She can't stand her preppy voice and fake attitude. Rachel gets on Annabeth's nerves. But Annabeth stays calm for the sake of her best friend. When Percy's there, Rachel constantly clings onto him as if her life depended on him. She would constantly talk to Percy, distracting him from his other friends – and definitely from Annabeth Chase.

What makes Annabeth more annoyed is that Rachel thinks that there's something on between Percy and Annabeth. There is nothing going on between them. Sure, Annabeth admits, she thinks she's falling for Percy, but that won't happen. Percy's hopelessly in love with Rachel anyways.

Unlike Annabeth, Percy doesn't distant himself from Annabeth. He hangs out with her quite often too. He makes Annabeth his new tutor. Something along the lines that Rachel's a distraction to him rather than a tutor. Annabeth tries to laugh at this, and she thinks she pulls it off.

His grades improve more with Annabeth's help though, and he's thankful. He's in almost every single class Annabeth is in. They sit together in some, in fact - especially in Greek mythology since Grover had transferred out.

Annabeth decides that she wants to take up architecture in university. She tells Sally her plans too, and she's definitely supportive. Annabeth walks into the Jackson's household on an everyday basis now. It's not always to see Percy, but sometimes it's for Sally. That Saturday, it was for Sally. Little did she know Rachel Dare would be the one to knock on the main door. Sally yells at Annabeth to open the main door as Percy might've came back from his move with Rachel. Annabeth opens, and she sees the happy couple there.

Rachel is definitely shocked, Percy looks as if that was normal – because it is normal. Annabeth can see from Rachel's dagger eyes that Rachel hates it, but Annabeth just ignores it and helps Sally.

age 18

It's senior year, and Percy and Rachel are still dating. Annabeth hates it, but she's the best friend. She sucks it up and pretends she's happy for both of them. She is though, she's happy that Percy's happy.

The others from the group can tell that she's pretty bummed about it. Even Leo had a date now.

"It's almost prom, you can't be going alone," Piper tells Annabeth.

"I'm not going alone," Annabeth tells her.

"Unless you can get Percy Jackson to change his mind, then yeah, you're going alone," Hazel pipes up.

"He's smitten over her," Calypso mumbles.

The rest silently agree, and Annabeth knows that too. He's definitely hopelessly in love with Rachel Dare. And all Annabeth can see is that she's going to grow old alone.

Annabeth didn't get asked to prom by any guy. She's perfectly fine by that, though. She knew it wouldn't happen anyways. Anyone with eyes could tell that Annabeth Chase liked Percy Jackson. Except for Percy Jackson, he didn't know.

She decides she doesn't want to go to prom then.

"Hey Annabeth, are you going to prom?" Rachel asks Annabeth during lunch.

Her friends all turn and look to her, expecting that she was asked out by someone.

"Nope," she simply replies, picking at her food.

Murmurs arose from the table, and she can tell that her friends are definitely surprised that she isn't going. Percy's the first to break the silence, though.

"Why not?" He asks.

"I don't have a date," her heart clenches as she says that and she doesn't look at him at all.

"You can go with all of us, as friends, y'know," he says it so casually, and Annabeth is so tempted to say okay.

The thought of Percy and Rachel slow dancing makes Annabeth's heart clench, but despite that, she says she'll consider it.

She's convinced by Percy that she has to go. He said that prom's a magical night, and he even promised to dance with Annabeth for one song to make her feel better. She agrees immediately.

Prom was awkward. Rachel stole Percy the whole time, and Percy apologised to Annabeth that he couldn't dance with her. Annabeth insisted she was fine, and just ate the terrible food at prom. She left early, though. She couldn't stand the sight of Rachel snogging Percy at all, she concluded.

She didn't tell any of her friends except for Leo. He was there with Calypso, but she had went to the toilet, and Annabeth just informed him that she was leaving.

Annabeth Chase went home that day. She was proud to say she didn't cry or shed a tear. She did immediately open her laptop and searched schools all over the world that had a good architecture program. She sent in her applications to many of them, in fact. They were mostly located on the West Coast, but she sent one in to NYU incase she wanted to continue living in New York.

She didn't tell anyone about her plans, though. In fact, that summer, Annabeth didn't spend much time with her friends at all. They all had their own significant other, and Annabeth surely didn't want to be the ninth wheel. She decided to work her butt off instead. The money she earned from the two months were good enough for some of her necessities. The rest would've came from her dad and her scholarship that she could apply for.

On the last month of summer though, she decided it was time to face her friends again. She found out that Piper and Jason were planning to go to NYU. Percy had applied all over the state, but they both had applied to NYU and UCLA. Rachel applied to go to Rome to study, and so did Percy, actually. Frank and Hazel had decided to apply to the West Coast, and Leo and Calypso were planning to go to Australia for their gap year.

Annabeth didn't want to tell her friends where she applied to. Instead, she decided to lie to them.

"I'm going to work first before continuing to study," she told them.

They seemed to have bought the lie. She said she wanted the 'experience' from the real world first.

Percy, however, didn't believer her. He sneaked into her house one night and asked her to spill everything.

And she did, she told him that she applied to the West Coast only, though. Percy was actually shocked. He hadn't expected her to apply to the other side of the country at all.

"But, why?"

"Why not?" she would question.

"You're going to give up on our friendship like last time?"

"Gods, Percy, you might be moving to freaking Rome, and you're questioning me? So what if I want to go to the other side of the country," she tells him.

She's actually mad that he isn't supporting her, actually.

"I'm not moving to Rome," he tells her.

She's curious, so she pushes on asking.

"I'm planning to break up with Rachel once this summer ends. Y'know, focus on school. If NYU accepts me, I'll take it. I'm studying marine biology, actually," he tells her.

"Break up with Rachel?" Annabeth asks.

"Yeah, she's moving to Rome to pursue art, I cant stop her if she likes Roman guys, can I?"

It's there and then that Annabeth thinks her waiting is finally over. They're going to break up, and Annabeth is going to fight every single girl for Percy Jackson's heart.

"You're going to the west coast, we won't be seeing each other much," he voices out his own thoughts, "this is where we split schools, I guess."

"Yeah, I guess," Annabeth tells him.

She decides she wants it to be a surprise that she's staying in New York.

age 19

Percy definitely thinks that Annabeth is leaving soon. Every moment, he spends as much time as possible with her. He breaks it off with Rachel pretty fast, and he seemed okay with that, surprisingly. Rachel got a hard blow and she left to Rome a few days after that.

The gang promised her that they weren't close to Rachel at all, and only put up with her for Percy's sake.

They becomes best friends again. They go over so many times, actually. Percy doesn't dare ask Annabeth when her school starts and when she has to leave. He started feeling feelings for her again. Just like how he felt years ago. He knows it's a bad sign, but he can't help himself. She's leaving in weeks, maybe even days.

A week before NYU started was when Percy found the courage to ask when her school started.

"Same as yours," was all she replied.

"Can you tell me which school?" He asks curiously.

She doesn't tell him, actually. She avoids him for the rest of the week.

He looks dishevelled, and that's because he's constantly worrying about Annabeth Chase. She left him without a word, and hell, she might be already across the country now. He feels hopeless.

But Percy Jackson gets a very nice surprise the morning he starts school. Firstly, Annabeth Chase is outside his house. She says she's driving them to school. He finally gets it. Annabeth Chase is studying in NYU.

age 20

They both refuse to tell each other that they are hopelessly in love with each other. One thing has changed though, both of them don't hit on any other guy or girl. This gives each of them hope.

Jason and Piper find them dumb - completely and honestly dumb. They don't understand the stupidity of Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase. But Jason and Piper know that they're not going to meddle. They know that Percy and Annabeth would find a way to work things out - however long they might take.

Percy thinks Annabeth treats him like a best friend only. She doesn't hint anything about liking him, and honestly, Percy thinks he needs to step up his game.

Annabeth knows she loves Percy Jackson, but she's afraid of rejection. She knows her friendship with Percy would change drastically if something like romantic feelings would be involved. She tries to hide her feelings for him.

age 21

Percy thinks it's time to ask his mother for advice.

"Mum," he says so casually at the dining table.

Sally looks up from her meal, smiling at her wonderful son.

"Something's different. I.. I kinda like Annabeth, y'know?"

"Well, that's obvious, she likes you too," Sally says so casually.

"No! She's never shown any interest in me!" He defends, he hopes it is true that she likes him though.

Sally sighs as she thinks about how oblivious they are and says, "you know many things about Annabeth Chase that most people won't. Like what her order for Starbucks would be, or her reaction if she finds a spider in a room. But darling, you don't see that Annabeth Chase is in love with you."

It hits him hard, and it is true. He thinks he knows everything about Annabeth Chase. But he doesn't know what her feelings for him are.

Piper Mclean can't stand seeing her best friends love each other, yet aren't together because of their naivety. She decides it's time to take action.

"I like him, Pipes," Annabeth tells her during their weekly girls sleepover.

"I know, we all know. Only Percy Jackson doesn't know," Piper says casually. "And we all know he's in love with you too."

"It's been obvious," Piper tells Annabeth when she gives her a strange look.

"Remember when you and Luke broke up? Who was the first to console you? Percy," she tells Annabeth.

"He might've been with Rachel, but they broke things off so fast. I have a feelings it's because he had feelings for you. He didn't even feel sad that he broke up with Rachel," she continues.

"Trust me, that boy is totally in love with you."

age 22

It's a year later before they realise that feelings are reciprocated.

They're in Percy's room when it happens. They were just talking and doing best friend things. But then, all of a sudden, they're face to face. And Percy's the daring one making a move to kiss her. Annabeth obliges. And that's when they realise that they've been so dumb. Because kissing the other person feels like heaven.

"You kiss like the world is ending," they both say to each other as they break away.

Percy is panting, and Annabeth is grinning.

"Don't tell me you forgot to breathe," Annabeth giggles because they were making out for _minutes._


End file.
